I have no movie review this week. We were so busy trying to get the children ready for school and adjusted to new bed times that we simply did not make family movie night a priority. Instead, I decided to watch some television with my mother. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t mention this, but my mother and I have very different ideas of what makes good television watching. She likes American Idol, I like Lost. But on Sunday night, I was flipping through channels. I noticed that the Miss Universe Pageant was on and thought it might be some fun. My mother loves this stuff and, after a few minutes, I was hooked. I stayed up far too late waiting to see if my favorite contestant would win. The following morning, I realized I had nothing to blog about except the pageant. I was faced with a bit of a quandary.
Obviously, I am not Perez Hilton. I don’t make a living out of attacking beauty pageant contestants because of their beliefs. I only try to make some observations about what is happening in our society and what impact that has on Christians. There are plenty of sound arguments that beauty pageants exploit young girls and women. There are many Christians who believe that participation in pageants is not appropriate for Christian women, and certainly not for Christian children. However, I would like to suggest another perspective to which one of the contestants, Miss Puerto Rico, alluded. Beauty is a complement.
I am certain that most people are familiar with the clichés about beauty. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Beauty is skin-deep. Pretty is as pretty does. These commonplace expressions reflect the idea that real beauty is defined by a person’s attitudes or actions, not by their physical body. There is certainly a bit of truth in this statement. It seems to me, however, that not everyone accepts that argument. In fact, it almost seems that an ever-increasing number of people have become obsessed with their outward appearance. The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery claims on their blog that 80% of cosmetic surgery patients feel pressure only from themselves to look better. If beauty isn’t physical, then why bother with this or this?
I must admit, I struggle with these contradictory values myself. My self-worth is not connected to my body image, but my whole attitude changes when my 3 year old tells me “Mom, you’re boo-tiful.” I am perfectly aware that this comment is connected to a desire for cookies, but it has an effect on me nonetheless. I see the attitude in my daughter as well. She somehow feels beautiful when she wears a dress or plays dress up. I’m certain the desire for attractiveness explains our teenage sons’ obsession with their hair and clothing. But where does this desire come from? And how can Christian parent's help their children put this desire into perspective?
The desire for beauty is imprinted on everyone’s heart. God has placed it there for His divine purpose. Any Christian can glimpse at a field of wild flowers in the springtime and recognize the splendor of God’s creation. In it, Christians can see the reflection of our Creator. Every person, at times, is drawn to the smell and sound of the ocean’s waves hitting the beach or the sight of the fresh fallen snow on a mountain top. Somehow, they calm and center us. But, God also created men and women with the same splendor. The physical body is a source of power, strength, and beauty. This image of King David is one of the most viewed in the world. God created the physical world, including man, to be full of beauty and pleasure. Through it, God is able to draw mankind to Himself.
Unfortunately, sin came into the world. Because of sin, men and women have taken God’s gift of beauty and distorted it. Many people, including Christians, no longer view the world as beautiful and good. They also no longer trust the beauty of human beings. Men who find pleasure in this are considered effeminate. This sparks outrage instead of joy. Instead of understanding beauty as a reflection of God, modern Christians see it, at the very least, as a distraction from God. At worst, they completely reject that beauty has a place in Christian thought or worship. This idea is very similar to the philosophy of Gnosticism.
Gnosticism is a philosophy that developed prior to Christianity. Although it is a complicated conglomeration of thoughts and ideas, one central theme is the idea that the world and all things in it are evil from their creation. According Gnostics, knowledge of God can only be attained through the spirit. Therefore, only spiritual matters are good. Material things, including the body, are evil. This concept follows two paths--disengagement and immorality. One form suggests that, since the material realm is evil, believers must disengage from anything earthly. Some reject wealth, property, and even basic needs. Another form suggests that the evil of the material world cannot be avoided. As such, the body is of no consequence to the spiritual reality. As a result, anything goes. This attitude oftens leads to immoral actions, like drug use and sexual depravity.
While many people insist that Gnosticism is not a threat to Christianity, some form of this thought is pervasive in modern society. Young people are particularly susceptible to some of the Gnostic ideas currently popular. Large numbers of Evangelical youth are attracted to Wicca, or Paganism, perhaps because of the spirituality without religion aspect. Young people are also vulnerable to belief systems where they are encouraged to draw their own conclusions, especially with regards to sexuality and sexual behavior. They are attracted to ideas that offer some tangible explanation of evil and suffering. They are looking for something that speaks to their hearts. Some of these themes and ideas have also drifted into mainstream Christianity. Young children are exposed to it in their youth groups and from their pastors.
Even though it seems sinister, Gnosticism is easy for parents to combat. The Mystery of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ is the ideal place to start. When I talk about this with my younger children, I ask a very simple question. "If our bodies are not beautiful and perfect, why in the world do you think God would have become a human person?" This is the heart of Christianity. The Word became flesh. God used the human body to reveal Himself to mankind in the physical world.
I've tried to remind the children that God created our bodies and expects us to take care of them as best we can. Of course, that gets translated into "I can't mow the lawn in the hot blazing sun or my skin will burn." Who says teenagers don't hear what their parents tell them?
Reflecting on this reminds me---I'd better start shopping for Christmas.....
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